FIREARM INJURIES IN ARIZONA · Highlight Summary • Every year Arizona has had a higher rate of death from firearm injuries than the U.S. average. (page 3) • Though the rate of

FIREARM INJURIES IN ARIZONA

With a

Focus on

Children

Prepared by

November, 2010

a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

corporation dedicated to the

prevention of firearm injuries

in children

Introduction

Firearm injuries have recently replaced auto accidents as the most frequent injury causing deaths in Arizona. Too often the victims are young children or teens. In this booklet, Arizona Firearm Injury Prevention Coalition cites multiple sources, including Arizona Department of Health Services; Centers for Disease Control; Arizona Criminal Justice Commission; Phoenix Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; National Opinion Research Center; and Arizona Child Fatality Review, to outline the extent of the problem of firearm injuries in Arizona children and to guide future interventions to reduce those injuries.

Arizona always ranks near the top of states with high firearm death rates, and we also have very high rates of nonfatal firearm injuries. Survivors often incur permanent disabilities associated with chronic pain and limitation of activity. Gunshot wounds can profoundly reduce the lifetime potential of children. Parents may suffer financially from large medical bills, and they often suffer emotional trauma from the knowledge that greater vigilance could have prevented their child’s tragedy. We hope this booklet will raise awareness of the danger of firearms that are easily accessible to young children and teens, and that readers, especially firearm owners, will be moved to take measures to make firearms inaccessible to children.

All who keep firearms at home can lock them up.

No one need put children in jeopardy of firearm tragedy.

For specific information on securing and storing firearms,

visit www.afipc.org.

Highlight Summary

• Every year Arizona has had a higher rate of death from firearm injuries than the U.S. average.

(page 3)

• Though the rate of death from firearms among Arizona’s teenagers has decreased

considerably from its peak in the mid-1990s, the rate is still high. (pages 4 & 5)

• Firearm homicides are common in Arizona. (pages 6 - 8)

• Most gun crimes in Phoenix are committed with handguns. 71% of the murders in Phoenix are

committed in three precincts, which comprise only 41% of the population of Phoenix. (pages 9 &

10)

• A large number of firearm deaths come from teen suicide. (pages 11-14)

• Deaths from firearm accidents are uncommon. (page 15) But nonfatal firearm accidents are

not uncommon. (pages 27 – 37)

1Continued on next page

Highlight Summarycontinued

• Teen homicide and suicide rates in Arizona exceed the U.S. average. (page 16)

• The leading causes of death in children include homicide and suicide. (pages17-19) From 1999 to 2009, there was a remarkable 44.4% decline in homicides in older teens. (page 18)

• The Child Fatality Review of the Arizona Department of Health Services reports on the ages, intent, gun types, gun owners, gun storage, and preventability of firearm deaths in children under age 18. (pages 20 -26). The 2009 Review found that only 3% of firearms causing child deathswere known to be properly locked.

• Nonfatal firearm injuries are a major public health problem for the U.S. and especially for Arizona. (pages 27-37)

• Fewer Arizona residents than the national average keep firearms, but more Arizonans keep loaded firearms and unlocked firearms. (pages 38-42)

• Take-home message: Lock it up! (page 43)

• Note: The 2008 statistics have been revised by ADHS, and those revisions are in the data in this booklet.

2

AZ & U.S. Firearm Death RatesPer 100,000 Population

All Ages

NA

12.8

2009

N A

13.5

2008

10.2

14.3

2007

In 18 Yrs:

30%10.49.810.010.310.410.313.414.6U.S.

In 20 Yrs:

32%15.415.115.014.817.215.524.118.9AZ

% Decrease20062005200420032002200119951990

Arizona Department of Health Services & Centers for Disease Control

3

Note: firearm deaths peaked in Arizona in 1995

DEATH RATES BY AGE GROUP AND YEAR FOR INJURY BY FIREARMSARIZONA RESIDENTS 1999-2009

Rate per 100,000 population in each population category

• 0-4 years old

[Children and teens in bold]

12.813.514.315.415.115.014.817.215.515.316.9Total, all

ages

20.717.515.218.817.518.916.821.119.021.419.965 or over

16.917.314.015.716.215.616.417.615.415.818.245-64

15.016.722.321.721.321.521.624.422.620.923.720-44

11.017.316.021.621.115.414.121.916.819.622.615-19

0.51.01.11.40.91.30.71.31.91.01.15-14

0.80.40.40.20.20.20.50.70.30.00.3Under 5 *

20092008200720062005200420032002200120001999Age Group

Arizona Department of Health Services

4

NUMBER OF DEATHS BY FIREARMS AND RATES OF FIREARM-RELATED FATALITIES BY GENDER AND AGE GROUP,

ARIZONA RESIDENTS, 2009

Rate per 100,000 population in specified group

[Children and teens in bold]

12.88434.815820.7685Total

20.71774.22040.915765+

16.92577.25627.120145-64

15.93495.96623.528320-44

11.0505.41216.13815-19

0.550.420.635-14

0.840.820.82<5

RateNumberRateNumberRateNumberAge Group

TOTALFEMALEMALE


5

62.272.868.071.272.668.166.472.468.168.666.3% byfirearms

224323336374365331319346318271303by firearms

360448494525503486480478467394457Total

All agesa

710868145461312by firearms

1720191416271612142622All65 and

Older

3959333640404441283838by firearms

7588668470768779566568All

45-64

142198242264256230224240233173204by firearms

206260318321322309294302317234293All

20-44

2750466157343549384144By firearms

4162597965454858495355All

15-19

555638161054By firearms

9798711171865All

5-14

31200122101By firearms

111121181912201411912All

Under 5

20092008200720062005200420032002200120001999Age group

Homicides in Arizona

a – May include unknown or unspecified age Arizona Department of Health Services [Children & teens in bold]

6

Percent of Homicides Committed with a Firearm

68.0

69.6

2007

66.966.765.6U.S.

71.675.871.5AZ

200820022000Year

Arizona Criminal Justice Commission & Arizona Department of Health Services

In 2008, more than two-thirds of homicides and one-half of

robberies in Arizona involved the use of a firearm. Overall, Arizona

had a higher percentage than the U.S. in firearm involvement

across all violent crime types during each year.

7

Number of Child Homicide Victims in Arizona

56

50

62

5

7

1

11

2008

35536760Total by

Firearms

27466157By

Firearms

41597965Total15 - 19

5563By

Firearms

9987Total5 - 14

3200By

Firearms

11211819TotalUnder 5

2009200720062005Ages


8

ATF Crime Gun Trace ReportType of Firearms Used in Crimes

Phoenix, AZ

1/1/99 to 12/31/99

1,365Total

2Unknown

9Machine Gun

1Destructive Device

0Combination Gun

10Derringer

150Shotgun

169Rifle

263Revolver

761Semiautomatic Pistol

TotalType of Firearm

9

Homicides in Phoenix from 1998 to October, 2003

Narcotics1627321South:

South Mountain

Narcotics9.518222Central:

Downtown

Verbal

Dispute

1626310West:

Maryvale

Domestic128.5101Northeast:

Squaw Peak

Verbal

Dispute

248.5101Northeast:

Desert Horizon

Domestic2212146Far North:

Cactus Park

#1 Motive% of City’s

Population

% of City’s

Murders

HomicidesDistrict

Phoenix Police Department 10

NUMBER OF FIREARM SUICIDES - AGE GROUPS

Arizona 1999 - 2009

56.254.955.457.161.064.0% by Firearms

596541507476468495# by Firearms

1,060986915807767773Total Suicides

All agesx

211730172028# by Firearms

493861394036All Suicides

15-19

004414# by Firearms

4511897All Suicides

5-14

200920072005200320011999CauseAgeGroup

x – May include records with unknown or unspecific age


11

Suicides, All Ages – Mechanism– Arizona - 2009

3710Drowning and Submersion

2687921060Total

459Other Specified or Unspecified Means

51722Sharp or Blunt Object

182240Poisoning by Gases or Vapors

9589184Poisoning by Drugs, Medicaments, and Biological Substances

39160199Hanging, Strangulation, or Suffocation

104492596Firearm Discharge

FEMALEMALETOTAL


12

Az Adolescent Suicide Trend

Ages 15 -19

2000 11.1*

2001 10.5

2002 9.9

2003 9.7

2004 11.8

2005 14.1

2006 13.0

2007 8.5

2008 12.4

2009 10.9

* Rates per 100,000 Az Dept. of Health Services

13

Az Adolescent Suicide Trend

Males Ages 15 -19

• 2000 22.6 *

• 2001 22.8

• 2002 25.6

• 2003 19.1

• 2004 18.5

• 2005 22.0

• 2006 19.5

• 2007 12.2

• 2008 18.0

• 2009 16.1

* Rates per 100,000 Az Dept. of Health Services

14

Number of Unintentional Firearm Deaths by Age Group

Arizona1999 - 2009

0.4

9

2548

2

1,007

1

660

5

684

0

101

0

37

1

59

2008

0.4

13

3,014

1

982

2

758

6

985

2

162

2

54

0

72

2007

0.20.30.50.50.51.10.20.50.3% Firearm-related

79151313266117# Firearm-related

2,8873,1563,0062,6412,4662,4162,4302,0872,192Total Unintentional Injury Deaths

All Agesa

112146NA20# Firearm-related

980971986854750752696652603All Unintentional Injury Deaths

65 or older



45-64



20-44



15-19



5-14



Under 5

200920062005200420032002200120001999CauseAge Group

a - May include records with unknown or unspecified ages

Arizona Department of Health Services15

HOMICIDE & SUICIDE15-19 YEAR-OLDSRates per 100,000

9.013.713.318.015.010.811.914.812.914.416.2HOMICIDE, total

NANA4.04.04.24.43.73.83.93.73.3By all other means

NANA2.93.33.53.83.63.74.14.54.9By firearms

NANA6.97.37.78.27.37.48.08.28.2SUICIDE, total

NANA1.51.71.61.71.71.61.91.81.9By all other means

NANA8.99.18.37.67.87.77.57.88.7By firearms

NANA10.410.89.99.39.59.39.49.610.6HOMICIDE, total

UNITED STATES

6.17.14.76.67.25.85.53.35.24.02.4By all other means

4.65.33.86.46.96.04.26.65.37.18.2By firearms

10.712.48.513.014.111.89.79.910.511.110.6SUICIDE, total

3.12.63.04.11.82.63.22.32.93.33.3By all other means

5.911.110.313.913.28.28.712.510.011.112.9By firearms

ARIZONA

20092008200720062005200420032002200120001999

Arizona Department of Health Services and Centers for Disease Control

16

Leading Causes of Death

Arizona - Ages 1-14

+10.2(271)(262)(256)(278)(285)(248)(286)(271)(320)(271)(246)(Number of all deaths)

-16.220.219.719.521.522.720.424.323.728.825.324.1ALL CAUSES

-57.10.30.60.40.90.90.20.71.00.80.60.7Intentional self-harm (suicide)

+18.21.31.11.41.21.41.50.81.62.20.81.1Assault (homicide)

-17.61.41.71.02.21.81.51.81.51.91.01.7Congenital malformations

-7.42.52.33.21.31.91.82.61.92.32.72.7Malignant neoplasms

-11.11.61.42.12.22.41.51.71.83.22.21.8Other

-27.31.61.81.11.52.02.02.01.93.12.82.2Drowning

-37.93.62.64.14.24.54.65.44.85.35.85.8Motor vehicle accident

-29.96.85.87.37.98.98.19.18.511.610.89.7Accident (unintentional injury)

% Change

from

1999

20092008200720062005200420032002200120001999Cause

Rates per 100,000 Arizona Department of Health Services

17

Leading Causes of Death

Arizona - Ages 15-19

-7.9(255)(297)(342)(412)(346)(337)(304)(324)(329)(290)(277)(Number of all deaths)

-31.355.965.776.993.880.180.875.482.786.678.981.4ALL CAUSES

-38.11.30.91.81.61.41.21.21.82.61.62.1Diseases of heart

-5.73.34.63.83.42.84.62.54.35.33.83.5Malignant neoplasms

-44.49.013.713.318.015.010.811.914.812.914.416.2Assault (homicide)

+0.910.712.48.513.014.111.89.79.910.511.110.6Intentional self-harm

(suicide)

+72.311.28.69.69.19.39.88.78.611.38.46.5Other than motor vehicle

-62.611.017.326.834.225.030.726.028.126.327.529.4Motor vehicle accident

-38.322.125.936.443.334.340.534.736.737.635.935.8Accident (unintentional

injury)

% Change from 1999

20092008200720062005200420032002200120001999Cause

Rates per 100,000 Arizona Department of Health Services

18

Leading Causes of Death – Rates*

Arizona - Ages 15 – 19

Males

(208)

89.1

0.4

5.1

21.0

18.0

11.1

21.9

33.0

2008

(236)

102.7

2.2

3.5

21.3

12.2

13.0

35.3

48.3

2007

(191)(291)(264)(237)(223)(Number of

All Deaths)

81.1129.1118.5109.5106.7All Causes

1.31.81.81.81.9Diseases of

Heart

3.43.14.06.52.4Malignancy

13.627.924.718.519.1Homicide

16.119.522.018.014.8Suicide

19.116.016.215.313.4Other

15.341.733.236.135.9Motor

Vehicle

34.457.749.451.349.3Accidents

20092006200520042003

*Rates per 100,000 Arizona Department of Health Services

19

THE FOLLOWING SIX PAGES

Data From the 2008 Child Fatality Review

Data on the following six pages come from the 2009 Child Fatality Review, an annual review undertaken by the Arizona Department of Health Services of deaths of children under age 18. Therefore, “child” is defined as those under age 18 for the following six pages.

The primary purpose of the Child Fatality Review is to determine whether deaths were preventable, and to suggest remedies for preventing similar deaths in the future. The program tries to promote cooperation, collaboration, and communication among groups that serve families and children by developing and disseminating data-driven recommendations for reducing childhood deaths.

According to the Review, the total number of firearm deaths in children under 18 dropped from 49 in 2008 to 32 in 2009.

20

Firearm-Related Deaths Among Children by Age Group,

Arizona 2009 (n=32)

15-17 Years

72% (n=23)

10-14 Years

3% (n=1)

<10 Years,

25% (n=8)

Source: Arizona Department of Health Services, 2009 Child Fatality Review

21

Firearm-Related Deaths Among Children By Manner, Arizona

2009 (n=32)


Homicide 66%

(n=21)

Suicide 28%

(n=9)

Accident 3%

(n=1)

Undetermined 3%

(n=1)

22

32Total

3%1Unknown

9%3Assault or hunting rifle

9%3Shotgun

78%25Handgun

PercentNumberType

Types of Firearms Involved in Child Deaths, Arizona 2009 (n=32)


23

19%6Unknown

6%2Self

3%1Law Enforcement

32Total

9.5%3Friend/Acquaintance

9.5%3Stranger

6%2Other Relative

47%15Parent/Step-parent

PercentNumberOwner

Owners of Firearms involved in Child Deaths, Arizona 2009


24

3%1Locked cabinet/safe

16%5Closet

32Total

0%0Glove compartment of car

19%6In or under furniture (e.g. in a

drawer or under a bed)

19%6Not stored (unsecured)

44%14Unknown

PercentNumberLocation

Locations of Firearms Involved in Child Deaths,

Arizona 2009 (n=32)


25

*More than one factor may have been identified for each death

6%2Involvement in gang

25%8Lack of supervision

53%17Drugs and/or alcohol

53%17Access to firearm

PercentNumberFactor*

Preventable Factors for the 49 Firearm-Related Deaths Among Children

Arizona 2009


26

Nonfatal Hospitalized Firearm Injuries - 2009In Arizona

Under Age 15by Gender

Males

Females

Total = 17

13

4

Data Provided Courtesy of Alana Shacter, ADHS

27


Ages 15 to 19by Gender

Males

Females

16

93


Total = 109

28


Under Age 15By Intent

Unintentional

Self-Inflicted

Assault

Undetermined

Legal

Intervention

6

Assault 11

Unintent.


Total = 17

29


Ages 15 to 19By Intent

Unintentional

Self-Inflicted

Assault

Undetermined

Legal Intervention

Total=109

Unintent.

20

Assault

83

3

2 1

Data Provided Courtesy of Alana Shacter, ADHS30

Nonfatal ER Firearm Injuries - 2009In Arizona

Under Age 15

Unintentional

Self-Inflicted

Assault

Undetermined

Legal Intervention

12

Unintentional

3

Assault


Total = 15

31

Nonfatal ER Firearm Injuries – 2009In ArizonaAges 15 - 19

Unintentional

Self-Inf licted

Assault

Undetermined

Legal Intervention

48

Unintentional

71

Assault

7 3

2


Total = 131

32

FIREARM INJURIES

Under Age 15 ● Arizona ● 2009

411328Total

32923Nonfatal [by discharge diagnosis]

945Fatal [by death certificate]

TotalFemalesMales

Arizona Department of Health Services Note: Does not include those not treated in hospital facilities, and does

not include those treated in federal facilities, e.g. VA hospitals and Indian hospitals.33

FIREARM INJURIES

Ages 15 - 19 ● Arizona ● 2009

29048240Total

240(2 unknown gender)

36202Nonfatal [by discharge diagnosis]

501238Fatal [by death certificate]

TotalFemalesMales

Arizona Department of Health Services Note: Does not include those not treated in hospital facilities, and does

not include those treated in federal facilities, e.g. VA hospitals and Indian hospitals.34

Nonfatal Firearm Injuries

United States

2009

Number of Injuries Population Rate per 100,000

66,769 307,006,550 21.75

78,622 304,059,724 25.87

Report is for all ages, including those of unknown age.

Produced by: Office of Statistics and Programming, National Center for Injury

Prevention and Control, CDC

Data Source: NEISS All Injury Program operated by the Consumer Product Safety

Commission for numbers of injuries. Bureau of Census for population estimates.

35

2008

Comparison:

Nonfatal Firearm Injuries in U.S. *

2009

Number of Patients (Emergency Room

Ages Discharges and Hospitalized Survivors)

0 – 4 238

5 – 9 91

10 – 14 618

Total <15 947

15 – 19 13,061

Total <20 14,008

*(Does not include patients not seen in emergency departments or hospitals)

Source for Data: Centers for Disease Control – Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System36

Adolescent Nonfatal Firearm Injury

Number and Rate per 100,000

2009 ● United States ● Ages 15 to 19

Ages 15 – 19: 13,061

Population: 21,537,837

Rate : 60.64

• Produced by: Office of Statistics and Programming, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDCData Source: NEISS All Injury Program operated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for numbers of injuries. Bureau of Census for population estimates.

United

States

37

Personal Gun Ownership in the U.S.

21.622.327.228.730.729not

asked

not

asked

% of

Individuals

20062000199619901985198019751972Year

Source: National Opinion Research Center’s General Social Survey, University of Chicago

38

Household Gun Ownership in the U.S.

34.534.343.445.848.150.85449.1% of

Households

20062000199619901985198019751972Year

Source: National Opinion Research Center’s General Social Survey, University of Chicago

39

Percent of Households & Persons with Guns in the U.S.According to Gallup Surveys

Source: Gallup

40

2000 2005 2007 2008 2009

44

43

42

41

40

39

37

36

35

34

32

31

30

29

28

27

%

Personal Ownership

Household Ownership

Prevalence Estimates of Adults With Household Firearms,

Loaded Household Firearms, and Loaded and Unlocked

Household Firearms, 2002

4.2%7.0%40.8%Median for

All States

7.6%11.3%36.2%Arizona

Loaded &

Unlocked

LoadedAny

Household

Firearm

CDC Surveillance Study, in Pediatrics Online, Vol.116, 2005

41

19,7702.3%42,0005.3%Median

for All

States

67,9804.4%108,6307.1%Arizona

Estimated #

of Children

Living with

Loaded &

Unlocked

Loaded &

Unlocked

Household

Firearm

Estimated #

of Children

Living with

Loaded

Firearm

Loaded

Household

Firearm

Prevalence of Loaded Firearms, Loaded & Unlocked Firearms Among

Adults with Children Under 18, & Estimated Number of Children Living with

Loaded & Loaded & Unlocked Firearms, in 2002

CDC Surveillance Study, in Pediatrics Online, Vol.116, 2005

42

Take-Home Message

• Firearm deaths and injuries are a major public health problem for Arizona children & teens.

• Homicide & suicide are among the leading causes of death in children under age 21, and firearm accidents cause many serious childhood injuries in Arizona.

• All who keep firearms at home should lock them up in a secure manner.

• No one need put children in jeopardy of firearm tragedy.

• Specific information on securing and storing firearms can be found at www.afipc.org.

• If you need to remove a firearm from your home, call our firearm turn-in number: (480) 946-1971.

43

Documents

FIREARM INJURIES IN ARIZONA · Highlight Summary • Every year Arizona has had a higher rate of death from firearm injuries than the U.S. average. (page 3) • Though the rate of